Purpose To compare the clinical outcomes of scaphoid and triquetral excision combined with capitolunate arthrodesis versus 4-corner (capitate, hamate, lunate, triquetrum) intercarpal arthrodesis. ...Methods We retrospectively identified 50 patients with scapholunate advanced collapse wrist changes who had 4-corner arthrodesis. Thirty-four patients were able to return and complete all follow-up evaluations. Patient demographics were similar between the 2 groups. Follow-up evaluation included radiographs, wrist range of motion (flexion-extension, radial-ulnar deviation, and pronation-supination); grip strength; visual analog scale (VAS); and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. Complications of nonunion, hardware migration, conversion to wrist arthrodesis or arthroplasty, and pisotriquetral arthritis were recorded. Results Sixteen patients had capitolunate arthrodesis, and 18 patients had a 4-corner arthrodesis. There was no statistical difference in radial-ulnar deviation, pronation–supination, grip strength, VAS, or DASH scores between groups. There was a slight increase in flexion–extension in the 4-corner group. There were 2 nonunions in the 4-corner group and none in the capitolunate group. Five patients in the capitolunate group required screw removal secondary to migration. Three patients in the 4-corner group required a subsequent pisiform excision. Conclusions Capitolunate arthrodesis compares favorably to 4-corner arthrodesis at an average 3-year follow-up in this series with respect to range of motion, grip strength, DASH scores, and VAS. Advantages of capitolunate arthrodesis include a lessened need for bone graft harvesting while maintaining a similarly low nonunion rate, easier reduction of the lunate following triquetral excision, and avoiding subsequent symptomatic pisotriquetral arthritis. Screw migration, however, remains a concern with this technique. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic III.
Objective We developed and tested a clinical simulation program in the principles and conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass with the aim of improving confidence and proficiency in this critical aspect of ...cardiac surgical care. Methods Fifteen residents from 6 resident-training programs who reported no prior cardiopulmonary bypass observation or simulation-based perfusion experience participated in a cardiopulmonary bypass course involving both didactic lectures and hands-on simulation. A computer-controlled hydraulic model of the human circulation was used in a specifically designed multidisciplinary simulation center environment to give the participants hands-on training with both basic operations and specific perfusion crisis scenarios. Pretraining and posttraining assessments concerning confidence, knowledge, and applications with regard to cardiopulmonary bypass were administered and compared. Results Likert scale scores on confidence-related items increased significantly ( P < .001), from 59% ± 16% to 92% ± 8%. Pretraining versus posttraining scores (72% ± 14%) on similar cognitive items were not significantly different ( P = .3636). Scores on similar open-ended application items before and after training improved from 62% ± 25% to 85 ± 10% ( P < .0001). All subjects agreed that simulation-based cardiopulmonary bypass training was superior to classroom- and clinic-based education and that the scenarios enhanced their learning experience. Conclusions Simulation-based cardiopulmonary bypass training appears to be an effective technique to build the confidence of thoracic surgery residents regarding knowledge and applications. Scenario-based practice in a specifically designed simulated environment is a valuable adjunct to traditional educational methods and has the potential to improve the training of thoracic residents.
Poor early-life nutrition is a major barrier to good health and cognitive development, and is a global health priority. Alive & Thrive (A&T) was a multi-pronged initiative to improve infant and young ...child feeding behaviors. It aimed to achieve at-scale child health and nutrition improvements via a comprehensive approach that included nutrition counseling by health workers, policy change, social mobilization and mass media activities. This study evaluated the sustainability of activities introduced during A&T implementation (2009-2014) in Bangladesh and Vietnam.
This was a mixed methods study that used a quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data (surveys with 668 health workers, and 269 service observations) were collected in 2017; and analysis compared outcomes (primarily dose and fidelity of activities, and capacity) in former A&T intervention areas versus areas that did not receive the full A&T intervention. Additionally, we conducted interviews and focus groups with 218 stakeholders to explore their impressions about the determinants of sustainability, based on a multi-level conceptual framework.
After program conclusion, stakeholders perceive declines in mass media campaigns, policy and advocacy activities, and social mobilization activities - but counseling activities were institutionalized and continued in both countries. Quantitative data show a persisting modest intervention effect: health workers in intervention areas had significantly higher child feeding knowledge, and in Bangladesh greater self-efficacy and job satisfaction, compared to their counterparts who did not receive the full package of A&T activities. While elements of the program were integrated into routine services, stakeholders noted dilution of the program focus due to competing priorities. Qualitative data suggest that some elements, such as training, monitoring, and evaluation, which were seen as essential to A&T's success, have declined in frequency, quality, coverage, or were eliminated altogether.
The inclusion of multiple activities in A&T and efforts to integrate the program into existing institutions were seen as crucial to its success but also made it difficult to sustain, particularly given unstable financial support and human resource constraints. Future complex programs should carefully plan for institutionalization in advance of the program by cultivating champions across the health system, and designing unique and complementary roles for all stakeholders including donors.
The occurrence and impact of coronary artery disease (CAD) among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence, clinical correlates, and effect ...of CAD in patients with PAH. We reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients diagnosed with PAH at a university-based referral center for pulmonary vascular disease from January 1990 to May 2010. The patients systematically underwent right heart catheterization and coronary angiography as a part of their evaluation. The patients with PAH with CAD (defined as ≥50% stenosis in ≥1 major epicardial coronary artery) were compared to patients without CAD. Among the 162 patients with PAH, the prevalence of CAD was 28.4%. The presence of CAD was associated with older age (66.6 ± 11.5 vs 49.2 ± 14.0 years, p <0.001), systemic hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The patients with PAH and CAD had a lower mean pulmonary arterial pressure (44.6 ± 11.1 vs 49.2 ± 14.0 mm Hg; p = 0.02) than patients without CAD. During a median follow-up of 36 months, 73 patients died. The presence of CAD was a predictor of all-cause mortality on univariate analysis (hazard ratio 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 3.20) but not on multivariate analysis, which identified older age (hazard ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.05) and right atrial pressure (hazard ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.14) as the only independent predictors. In conclusion, our study has demonstrated that CAD is common among patients with PAH. CAD prevalence increases with age, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, but we did not detect an independent prognostic effect of CAD on mortality.
Suboptimal healthcare quality may be a barrier to achieving child health improvements, yet little is known about the relationship between provider compliance with evidence-based practices and client ...behavior change. We assess provider compliance in the context of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counseling, its relationship with client IYCF behaviors in Bangladesh, and explore its potential determinants.
We use data from a 2017 evaluation of an IYCF program that includes a health worker survey (n = 74), caregiver survey (n = 232), and direct service observation checklists of counseling sessions (n = 232 observations of 74 health workers). We assess the relationship between provider compliance with recommended IYCF counseling topics and behaviors (standardized to a 100-point scale) and three reported IYCF behaviors among clients using multi-level models with random effects at the health worker and sub-district (sampling) levels. We also evaluate whether health worker self-efficacy, satisfaction, and technical knowledge are associated with provider compliance.
Health worker compliance was significantly associated with reported exclusive breastfeeding for children under 6 months of age (adjusted odds ratio per 1 percentage point increase in counseling compliance score = 1.06, 95% CI 1.01, 1.12) and marginally associated with minimum dietary diversity (adjusted odds ratio per 1 percentage point increase in counseling compliance score = 1.05, 95% CI 1.00, 1.11). Counseling compliance was significantly and positively associated with both health worker self-efficacy and technical knowledge.
We find evidence for an association between health worker compliance and client health behaviors; however, small effect sizes suggest that behavior change is multifactorial and affected by factors beyond care quality. Improvements to technical quality of care may contribute to desired health outcomes; but policies and programs seeking to change health behaviors through counseling may also wish to target upstream factors such as self-efficacy, alongside technical skill-building and knowledge, for maximum impact.
Chemical disorder in semiconductors is important to characterize reliably because it affects materials performance, for instance by introducing potential fluctuations and recombination sites. It also ...represents a means to control material properties, to far exceed the limits of equilibrium thermodynamics. We present a study of highly disordered Cu–Zn–Sn–S (d-CZTS) films along the Cu2SnS3–Cu2ZnSnS4–ZnS binary line, deposited by physical vapor deposition. Deposition at low temperature kinetically stabilizes compositions that are well outside of the narrow, equilibrium solid solution of kesterite (Cu2ZnSnS4). Here we study d-CZTS and its thermal treatment using complementary characterization techniques: X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We find that cations in d-CZTS are highly disordered while the sulfur anions remain in a well-defined, cubic close-packed lattice. On the atomic scale, composition fluctuations are accommodated preferentially by stacking faults. Kinetically-stabilized cation disorder can produce nonequilibrium semiconductor alloys with a wide range of band gap, electronic conductivity, and thermal conductivity. d-CZTS therefore represents a processing route to optimizing materials for optoelectronic device elements such as light absorbers, window layers, and thermal barriers.
Management of High-Grade Gliomas in the Elderly Ferguson, Michelle, MD, FRCPC; Rodrigues, George, MD, PhD, FRCPC; Cao, Jeffrey, MD, MBA, FRCPC ...
Seminars in radiation oncology,
10/2014, Letnik:
24, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The incidence of glioblastoma (GBM) has been increasing over the past several decades with majority of this increase occurring in patients older than 70 years. In spite of the growing body of ...evidence in this area, it is still unclear as to the optimal management of elderly patients with GBM. The elderly are a heterogeneous population with a range of comorbid conditions, and functional, cognitive, and physiological changes, and ideally treatment decisions should be made in the context of a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Patients with a poor performance status or assessed as “frail” might be considered for less aggressive therapy such as hypofractionated radiotherapy or single-agent temozolomide, whereas those with a good functional status may still benefit from maximum resection followed by combined radiation and chemotherapy. Recent randomized trials suggest molecular markers such as O6 -methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase promoter methylation testing could help guide these decisions, particularly when considering monotherapy with temozolomide vs radiotherapy. Ongoing studies seek to clarify the role of concurrent treatment in this population. Clinical judgment and discussion with patients and families, weighing all the options, are necessary in each case. Ultimately, patients and the neuro-oncology community should be encouraged to participate in clinical trials focused specifically on caring for the elderly patient with GBM.
The authors report a case of inferior vena cava filter arm perforation, followed by fracture and migration to the right ventricle causing chest pain and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Review ...of abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scans show the two filter arms that fractured and migrated had perforated the vena cava 2 years previously. Microscopic evaluation of the retrieved filter and limbs revealed bending metal fatigue at the fracture sites. This case and review of the literature suggest a causal relation between Bard Recovery filter arm perforation and subsequent fracture and migration. Percutaneous retrieval of filters with arm fracture or arm migration is recommended.
BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of literature regarding the outcomes following vulvar excision for nonmalignant lesions. This is a common procedure among gynecologists and gynecologic oncologists, and ...a body of evidence is warranted to guide clinical care and future research. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the rate of wound complications following simple vulvar excision and to identify the risk factors for these outcomes. Our secondary objectives were to determine the rates of (1) positive margins and (2) occult carcinoma in the cases of vulvar dysplasia. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a single-institution, retrospective cohort study of the patients who underwent simple vulvar excision procedures for suspected premalignant or benign lesions between June 2016 and February 2020. Our primary outcome was the rate of composite wound complications, including wound separation or breakdown, infection, or hematoma. Our secondary outcomes were the incidence of (1) margins positive for residual dysplasia and (2) occult minimally invasive carcinoma. The Fisher exact tests and chi-squared tests were used to compare the categorical variables and logistic regression models and independent student t tests were used for continuous variables, as appropriate. Multivariate stepwise selection and multiple logistic regression was performed to evaluate the risk factors for complications and generate the odds ratios. RESULTS: Of the 338 patients included in the study, 143 (42.3%) experienced wound complication. Most of these complications were wound separation or breakdown (n=134, 39.6%), followed by infection (n=22, 6.5%), and hematoma (n=4, 1.2%). On multivariate analysis, the presence of high-grade vulvar dysplasia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–3.15), longer specimen diameter (adjusted odds ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.05), and lesion location on the perineum (adjusted odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.38–3.66) were independent risk factors. With high-grade vulvar dysplasia, the rate of positive margins was 50.2% (114/227) and that of occult microinvasive carcinoma was 17.2% (39/227). Notably, the primary and secondary outcomes were similar among gynecologic oncologists and gynecologists. CONCLUSION: Wound complications following vulvar excision for nonmalignant lesions are common. Select groups may benefit from anticipatory counseling and future interventional studies to prevent complication. The incidence of positive surgical margins and occult minimally invasive carcinoma is also high, reflecting the challenging nature of treating vulvar disease.
Category:
Midfoot/Forefoot; Sports
Introduction/Purpose:
Fractures of the fifth metatarsal occur in young, athletic populations and often result in sub-optimal clinical outcomes, even after surgical ...fixation. With such a high demand for decreased return to play in athletic populations, the development of intervention strategies which mitigate intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors of initial injury is important. Foot orthotics have been shown to decrease strain in the 2nd metatarsal. However, limited research has investigated the influence of intrinsic risk factors and the use of foot orthotics on fifth metatarsal strain. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of foot orthotics and intrinsic risk factors on fifth metatarsal strain during cadaveric simulation.
Methods:
Ten specimens were loaded to simulate the stance phase of normal gait using a validated 6-degree of freedom robot with tendon actuators. Strain gauges were placed at the metaphyseal - diaphyseal junction (Zone II), and the proximal diaphysis (Zone III) to measure principal strain. Specimens were tested in a sneaker-only control condition and ten orthotic conditions, which include combinations of a commercial orthotic insole, three plates, and two foam wedges (Figure 1A). The average peak strain from three simulations were recorded for each orthotic condition. Relevant intrinsic factors were recorded from reconstructions of axially loaded computed tomography scans. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to determine the effect of orthotic conditions on fifth metatarsal strains, with significantly correlated intrinsic factors included as covariates. Tukey-Kramer post-hoc analysis with a Bonferroni correction was used to analyze differences between individual orthotic conditions and main effects of components.
Results:
Metatarsus adductus angle, 4-5 intermetatarsal angle, and Meary’s angle (R2= 0.944; p<0.001) were included as covariates in analysis of Zone III strain. Significant (p<0.05) differences in Zone III strain were found for the both the main effect of a plate and individual orthotic cond
itions with statistical adjustment for previously stated intrinsic measurements. However, post- hoc testing revealed no significant differences between non-plate conditions and full plate conditions(p=0.23), lateral plate conditions (p=0.025), or lateral cut plate conditions (p=0.026). Additionally, the Full Plate with Lateral Wedge condition reduced strains by 285 µΕ relative to the sneaker condition, no significant differences (p = 0.07) were found in post-hoc analysis. No significant differences were found in Zone II with the models considered.
Conclusion:
Zone III strains were shown to be significantly correlated with intrinsic factors in the current analysis. Plate conditions demonstrated a trend towards significant reduction of Zone III strain relative to the sneaker condition, despite failing to achieve statistical significance in conservative post-hoc analysis. However, these results may be clinically significant as the reduction of strain in plate conditions exceeded previously reported significant decreases in the 2nd metatarsal. Correlations found between intrinsic risk factors and strain in this study corroborate with previous studies. This indicates that the effectiveness of foot orthotics to reduce strain is strongly influenced by individual foot structure.
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